Wednesday, March 10, 2010

NFL 2010 Draft First-round Projection and Arizona Cardinals Mock Draft



The 2010 NFL Draft is just around the corner, so I thought I'd waste some time by firing up the ol' blog again and putting together a first-round projection.

For the Cardinals, I'm assuming that they sign Porter, Foote, and then don't have anything beyond one or two more depth signings. Now that Ware's back in the fold, it's difficult to imagine the Cards losing a need free agent.

1 St. Louis Rams - Gerald McCoy, DT, Okalahoma. Sam Bradford is not a franchise quarterback. But the Rams know that in their HC's one-gap penetrating defense, McCoy can be a huge playmaker and make everyone on the defense seem better.
2 Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The best player in the draft falls right in Detroit's lap. Jim Schwartz will know just what to do with him after coaching Albert Haynesworth for years.
3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech. The Bucs desperately want to trade out of this position after the Rams don't take their quarterback, but no one wants to spend the money. Tampa's search to replace Simeon Rice continues.
4 Washington Redskins - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. The Redskins get exactly who they're targeting here. Okung answered all questions at the Combine, and will be an anchor for years in Washington.
5 Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Berry, FS, Tennessee. The Chiefs were hoping that Okung would fall to them, but instead they look to the defensive side of the ball. Todd Haley knows how exceptional DB play can affect a defense, and Jon McGraw is not the answer for Kansas City.
6 Seattle Seahawks - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. Excellent fit all around. Hasselbeck can groom the kid for a year. Seattle corrects the mistake it made last year in passing on Mark Sanchez.
7 Cleveland Browns - Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Jerome Harrison may be the answer at running back for the Browns, but there's little on the outside for whomever is taking snaps from center. Bryant gives them an outside option.
8 Oakland Raiders - Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. What can you say about Al Davis? If he's going to stick with his OL coach/Head Coach for another year, he's going to give him something to work with in this physical specimen. Could immediately start at RT in place or Cornell Green.
9 Buffalo Bills - Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. The Bills' line is in a shambles after releasing seemingly everyone last year. Bulaga may end up as a pro guard, but they'll try him on the edge first.
10 Jacksonville Jaguars - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida. Jacksonville wants to trade out of this spot when it finds no need positions when they come on the clock. If a team wants Clausen, they can get him here. Forced to pick, the Jags realize that you can never have too many pass rushers.
11 Denver Broncos (From Bears) - Mike Iupati, OL, Idaho. The Broncos may also be interested in trading out of this spot, but the OL is in transition from the zone-blocking scheme, and Iupati will provide a physical inside presence for Josh McDaniels's offense. McDaniels has faith in Kyle Orton.
12 Miami Dolphins - Taylor Mays, S, Southern Cal. Bill Parcells loves size/speed players like Karlos Dansby. Mays will be a high-profile player in Miami and plays in a division with only one good passer in Tom Brady.
13 San Francisco 49ers - Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. San Francisco knows that they're going to have to protect whomever they have taking snaps, and Williams begins that project.
14 Seattle Seahawks (From Broncos) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Finally an RB comes off the board. Pete Carroll sees a little Reggie Bush in Spiller.
15 New York Giants - Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama. McClain could play any of the three LB positions in the Giants' 4-3 defense, but he'll start, and excel, in the middle.
16 Tennessee Titans - Joe Haden, CB, Florida. One injury at DB crippled the Titans for half the season. They won't let that happen again.
17 San Francisco 49ers (From Panthers) - Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan. Graham will play outside linebacker in the 49ers' 3-4 defense, where they have to find ways to bolster a pass rush against teams that aren't the Arizona Cardinals.
18 Pittsburgh Steelers - Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. The Steelers must continue to build their offensive line and re-load for the future.
19 Atlanta Falcons - Earl Thomas, S, Texas. Atlanta's thrilled that Thomas falls to them. The Falcons have to get better on the defensive side of the ball if they're going to return to playoff contention.
20 Houston Texans - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. The Texans aren't crying that they lost Dunta Robinson at free agency, but they are thrilled to get a young playmaker in the secondary to replace him.
21 Cincinnati Bengals - Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. Carson Palmer has never in his career played with a receiving TE. He needs more weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and Gresham should give him a quality outlet.
22 New England Patriots - Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas. Kindle will be able to play inside and outside linebacker in the Pats' 3-4 scheme, which will make him the kidn of multi-dimensional weapon that Belicheck loves.
23 Green Bay Packers - Charles Brown, OT, Southern Cal. A little bit of a reach here, but OT has long needed a youth movement in Green Bay, and they're going to have to draft a couple of 'em in 2010.
24 Philadelphia Eagles - Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri. Quick: Name two of the Eagles' starting linebackers. This position has gone with stop-gaps for long enough. Weatherspoon gives Philly a multidimensional threat at the position.
25 Baltimore Ravens - Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame. Tate will be a nice third option in the Ravens' offense behind Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason.
26 Arizona Cardinals - Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. It's hard for teams to convince themselves to use a top pick on a DT who can't rush the passer, but the Cardinals are convinced that Dan Williams can be the player they thought they were getting in Alan Branch.
27 Dallas Cowboys - Jared Odrick, DT, Penn St. Dallas would love to trade out of this position. They take a player who can play inside or outside in their 3-4 scheme.
28 San Diego Chargers - Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State. There's nothing on the Chargers' roster where "starting running back" should be.
29 New York Jets - Everson Griffen, DE, Southern Cal. Trust Rex Ryan to find a way to use the effective West Coast pass rusher in his defense.
30 Minnesota Vikings - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. The Vikings will hope that Clausen can develop behind Brett Favre the way that Aaron Rogers did.
31 Indianapolis Colts - Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida. The Colts were hampered by their lack of depth behind Dwight Freeney. The Colts are always good at building their lines.
32 New Orleans Saints - Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Could pair with developing DT Sedrick Ellis for a fierce one-gap interior tandem.

Arizona Cardinals Draft:
1 (26) Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
2 (58) Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest - The Cards looked for an ILB here, but there was no one on the board. You can never have too many good cornerbacks, especially when you're one injury away from starting "Money" Michael Adams.
3A (88) Sean Lee, LB, Penn State - Cards are taking a huge risk on a player with first-round talent but a fifth-round body.
3B (89) Thaddeus Gibson, LB, Ohio State - Cards have to load up on a youth and talent movement if they can't get high-round talent.
4 (120) George Selvie, DE, South Florida - Will play outside linebacker for the Cards.
6 (185) Jim Dray, TE, Stanford - He blocks people, and will become a threat in the passing game over time. Possesses immense untapped potential.
7 (217) Chris Marinelli, OT, Stanford - The Cardinals look to the Cardinal back-to-back to end the draft. Marinelli was a four-year starter for Stanford, but shoulder injuries held him back as a senior.

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